Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-05-26
A GOLD COUNTRY.
Experiences of United States Consula
Officer In South America.

A GOLD COUNTRY.
Experiences of United States Consular |
officer in South America.
I arrived at Quibdo, the principal
pueblo of Choco and the interior-the
richest placer mining area in the world,
according to that great traveller Hum
boldt. All along the river Abrato were
women washing high grade of gold
dust in batteas on the sand bars or
playas, which are approached by them
at intervals between the rising and
falling of the river, which is affected
by rains that fall every few hours.
There are never forty-eight consecu-
tive hours without rain. ] soon found
a shelter and made arrangements for
staying until the cargo boat came up.
The boat arrived in just exactly thirty
days from the mouth of the river-240
miles. Under my care were 1925, 900 in
five-franc pieces for the purchase
OF gold dust and platina, about
which was a little anx-
ious. My anxiety was entirely I'M
necessary. Nothing of value is ever
stolen. A native might steal dime,
but he would not know how to get
away with much more.
The men who had brought my boat |
found were considerably excited. A
law had been enacted and had just
gone into effect on the day of the
boats arrival, providing that no man
would be allowed to come into the
pueblo of Quibdo, with its 10000 in
habitants, without some garment on
at least shirt. These fellows
thought their liberty was being
abridged. The country, they declared,
was no longer free. Such an interior
ence with their privileges would not be
brooked. l do not know how they
settled it, as did not see them again.
found the natives so peaceable and
courteous that my firearms were an
unnecessary load. On one occasion,
being at the hut of a native, an invita-
ton to dine was accepted. No men,
Der of the family sat down with me, so
great was their respect. They re-
manned standing until had done. On
leaving the men all raised their hats.
The women were always reserved I'M
til approached, but respond to gentle
manly inquiry with quiet modesty
The women, according to the usual
custom. are seldom welded by &C.
clesiastical ceremony. Matrimony is
too dear as performed through the in
strumentality of the padre and the pro-
baton demanded by the church before
espousing is irksome. So when the
native man thinks of taking help
mate he prepares by taking a machete
Ga long knife or sword with
wooden handle), and an acre
or SO of ground. After cutting
from the land the brushwood
or weeds, he plants portion with
bananas and plantains, which bear
fruit in three years. He then builds a
hut of palm, matched perfectly tight.
The house being built and the bananas
maturing, he selects the woman to be
caSared (housed). There is no cere-
mony necessary. They have family,
the children are not educated nor
clothed, nor is any provision necessary.
Nature provides so bountifully for near
ly all their wants; why should they
worry about their next mealp There is a
bunch of bananas and plantains matur-
ing every day for perhaps one hundred
years without any further attention.
Fish are abundant in the stream pass
ing by their door. The man wants a
straw hat, which the woman provides,
woven by her hands with the grass
near at hand. The woman weaves a
covering cloth from the inner bark of a
palm tree, colored green, just sufficient
to meet what modesty demands. The
man sometimes wants dime for
gambling, or whisky, or gunpowder,
which is provided by the woman. who
does the gold-washing and principal
labor.
The jewelry worn by some of the
women consists of necklaces of nuggets
of considerable size of rich-colored vir.
gin gold. which they term antigua
Cheap as gold is with them. j offered &
girl forty dollars for her necklace, but
no one parts with her necklace. 1t i.
curious to see this display of gold by
women who never wear stockings, tn,
foot being dressed with tiny embroi
dered satin slipper, into which they
manage to get, perhaps, toe or two
leaving the heel exposed. The womer
of the better class rarely walk half ;
mile. 1t is too much effort, and should
t any daughter be .enticed away from
: home any distance, the father will no
J trouble himself to go for her, but re
r quires the lover to bring her home
{ Journeys by the natives are made il
\ their canoes, which their women man
l age with great dexterity. 1 have neve
t seen a native with pretty feet, and sci
dom one with well-formed limbs. TIL
$ men do not labor The mining. OF
a properly, gold washing, is done b
$ about 5000 of native colored women
: who collect in the course of year
] considerable amount of gold dust an
platina.-Cor. San Francisco Chronicle
a